Shrub 3–5 m high, sparingly branched from near the base. Leaves in a dense rosette at the apex of each branch, spreading, becoming recurved, persisting as dried leaf remains, but finally deciduous to leave the branch naked; lamina to c. 50 cm long, 8 cm wide at the base, lanceolate-attenuate, greyish-green, without spots, usually tinged pinkish-red; margin pinkish, cartilaginous with forward pointing teeth 1–1.5 mm long and 10–20 mm apart. Inflorescences 1–2 from each rosette, erect, up to 60 cm tall; peduncle very stout, 2–3-branched; branches subtended by broad, deltoid, scarious bracts c. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, with a few sterile bracts below each raceme. Racemes 10–12 × 10–14 cm, subcapitate, very densely flowered; bracts c. 14 × 12 mm, broadly ovate, scarious, pale brown, many-nerved; pedicels 30–40 mm long. Perianth bright orange-scarlet, 35–45 mm long, c. 7 mm in diameter across the ovary, tapering into the base, cylindric-trigonous; outer segments free to the base, tips slightly spreading. Stamens and stigma slightly exserted. Capsule and seeds not seen.